A convenience that most of us seem to take for granted in the 21st century, the trash can, hasn’t been around forever. In fact, in the grand scheme of societal evolution, the garbage bin is a relatively modern development. It dates back to the mid 1870s, when metal and wooden garbage receptacles were first introduced in England and were used to store ashes from burnt waste. (Americans started using trash cans about a decade later, soon after the first garbage incinerators began being built in the U.S.)
A hygienic helper
Before trash cans and incinerators came along, disposing of waste was a dirty — and sometimes even dangerous — affair, especially in urban areas. For many centuries, humans would simply throw their household trash into the city streets, bury it in holes, dump it in bodies of water or burn it on-site. And when garbage piled up, it frequently led to problems including terrible odors, the proliferation of rats and other pests, the contamination of water supplies, and even the spread of diseases like the black plague and yellow fever.
Clearly, to support public health and proper sanitation, better solutions needed to be developed. And the introduction of the trash can helped facilitate big improvements in the removal and disposal of household waste, eventually helping to usher in the modern age of waste disposal.
Among the advantages that the trash bin delivers for modern households and businesses:
● Cleanliness and odor control — Obviously, having a designated receptacle for placing items that need to be disposed of or recycled helps keep homes and businesses cleaner and less cluttered. Covered garbage bins can also help keep undesirable odors contained, while specialized liners in today’s garbage cans can help control waste leakage.
● Safety — When spaces in a home or business are free of the clutter and mess created by waste that has not been properly disposed of, this can greatly reduce the likelihood of any accidents caused by tripping, slipping or falling. It can also help reduce the risk of fires posed by scattered waste materials such as flammable paper products.
● Health — Further, when waste is properly contained and covered in garbage containers, it helps limit the potential for invasion by rodents and insects — both of which can foster the spread of illnesses and disease when an infestation occurs.
● Improved business operations — By helping businesses control all of the factors mentioned above, garbage bins can lead to improved business operations and an added sense of professionalism in the workplace.
4 top trash can considerations
As simple as the trash can may seem, its benefits and characteristics can vary widely between types and brands. Consider these four reasons it’s important to choose the right containers to meet your household’s or business’s waste disposal and/or recycling needs:
1. Functionality: Today’s garbage and recycling bins are created to facilitate a wide range of everyday purposes, from simple waste disposal to organics collection, medical waste containment, the collection and sorting of recyclable materials, and more. They’re also made in a range of sizes to accommodate varying volumes of waste and recycling production by users, and they’re built to serve in diverse usage scenarios, such as indoor vs. outdoor environments.
In addition, helpful bin characteristics can include portability and handling features like wheels and specialized handles — such as the unique third handle that allows for easier lifting and emptying of the round trash cans made by leading waste and recycling cart producer Toter (backed by Wastequip). Further, some bins feature specialized characteristics like fire resistance and protection against potential invaders like raccoons and bears. The latter of these benefits, for example, can be seen in Toter’s Bear Tough Carts, which are designed to minimize conflicts with bears and other wild animals by incorporating a locking mechanism to keep wildlife out and trash in, in addition to being built strong enough to withstand repeated clawing and chewing. Especially when specific requirements need to be met, be sure to choose the waste container that best fits the user’s intended purpose.
2. Aesthetics: Modern waste and recycling containers are no longer limited to traditional color options like green and brown — a full spectrum of bin colors is available to better match home and business décor, as well as for branding and identification purposes among municipalities and waste-handling businesses. Further, modern waste bins can be found in an array of styles for a better fit with, for example, interior design themes. Once you’ve determined the best container type for your needs, be sure to explore all of the aesthetic options available before making your final bin choice.
3. Durability and longevity: The life expectancy of a trash or recycling container is always an important purchase consideration — and it can vary greatly depending on the composition and build of the product chosen. For example, according to a 2020 lifecycle analysis (LCA) commissioned by Toter, the cart company’s customers reported an average service life of 11 years for their Toter carts, as opposed to just over 9 years for non-Toter customers. Further, according to surveyed waste haulers and municipalities, three times as many Toter customers reported a 15- to 20-year life span for their Toter carts, versus an average life span of 5 to 10 years for non-Toter carts.
4. Sustainability: Of course, the increased bin service life noted above provides big environmental benefits, as added container longevity can prevent the need to make more bins — thus eliminating the need to use more natural resources in the process. Waste and recycling containers can also be produced using methods and materials that place a greater focus on eco-friendliness and resource preservation. One prominent example of this can be seen in Toter’s EVR-Green, the waste and recycling industry’s first cart body produced from 100% recycled material. Considering that more than 90% of the plastic produced globally is never recycled, from a sustainability standpoint, EVR-Green marks a clear step in the right direction for the industry. The eco-conscious cart is produced as part of Toter’s Project 25 initiative, which exhibits the company’s dedication to sustainability with a commitment to reducing the amount of virgin resin used in its cart manufacturing by 25%. The move would reduce Toter’s carbon footprint by at least 9% per cart.
To learn more about Toter and its broad range of offerings for waste collection and disposal, visit toter.com. And to learn more about Toter’s commitment to environmental sustainability, visit the webpage for the company’s Project 25 initiative.
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About Toter
Toter is the leading provider of waste and recycling carts to waste haulers and municipalities in North America. Additional products include specialty carts for document management, electronic waste, organics, medical waste and more. Manufactured using Advanced Rotational Molding, Toter carts offer a greater service life than injection-molded carts. Toter® is also the only commercial-grade cart available to consumers at retailers nationwide. Toter is a division of Wastequip. Learn more on the web at www.toter.com.
About Wastequip
Wastequip is the leading North American manufacturer of waste-handling equipment, with an international network of manufacturing facilities and the most extensive dealer network in the industry. Wastequip’s broad range of waste and recycling equipment, trucks, and systems is used to collect, process, and transport recyclables, solid waste, liquid waste, and organics. The company’s brands include Wastequip®, Toter®, Galbreath, Pioneer™, Mountain Tarp®, Amrep®, Confab®, Wastequip WRX™, Wastebuilt ®, Container Pros®, wasteware™, and Accurate™. For more information, visit www.wastequip.com.